Pedestrian & Bicycle Path Advisory Committee

PO Box 158 • Whitefish, MT 59937 • (406) 863-2400 • Fax (406) 863-2419 Pedestrian and Bicycle Path Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, July 7, 2023, 8:30 a.m. Committee Members City Staff Antonia Malchik - Absent Craig Workman – Present Mary Behrendt – Present Maria Butts - Present John Repke – Present (by phone) Carla Belski – Absent Doug Reed - Present Karin Hilding - Present Jim DeHerrera - Present Bailey Kallal – Present Giuseppe Caltabiano – Absent Riley Polumbus - Present A. Meeting Called to Order at 8:30 B. Approval of Monday, June 5, 2023, Agenda Motion by Repke, seconded by Behrendt. Passed unanimously. C. Approval of May 1, 2023, Minutes Motion by Repke, seconded by Behrendt. Passed unanimously. D. New Business - None E. Old Business a. River Bend Condos: Survey work has been completed, except for wetland delineation. Topo has been picked up and plants identified. Design can now begin. The Riverbend HOA was notified about the survey. b. Malmquist Easement: Craig has talked to Casey about the path and they may build a part of the trail. Maria asked about drainage on the path, Casey’s excavation has caused more pooling on the path near Miles Avenue. Craig said there are a couple options to fix the solution including raising the elevation of the trail. The City can work with the contractor when they come to paving that area. Bruce said that the Malmquist project will pave more of the area and extend to the trail. c. Viaduct improvements: Nothing new to report. d. Safe routes to school: Karin met with Dave Means, school superintendent, the most recent traffic study is out of date and Karin recommended that they do a new story. Means was interested in updating. They talked about doing a drop-off/pick- up near Memorial Field and they will incorporate that into a traffic study. Years ago, the safe routes to school grant was used to construct a path behind the high school. Consideration must be given to the fact that high school students may be driving near where the paths cross to Muldown. Karin mentioned that someone, Means or someone else, should be involved in creating the plan for the Safe Routes to School grant. e. Paths needing FWP approval: Good discussion at a recent time except FWP was not there. Karin will send out minutes from the meeting. f. Ongoing project list: List has been updated but needs to be included with the agenda so that the committee has it to reference and prioritize projects. F. Parks and Recreation Comments: No comments. G. Public Works Comments a. E-bike safety meeting was held and well-attended. There was a good discussion that generated a long list of projects and questions such as what are the City’s regulations for riding bikes on sidewalks. Karin talked to Bridger about the regulations and he said that bikes are allowed on sidewalks. Karin mentioned that there are also City regulations on e-bikes (type 1 & 2 are allowed). E-bike companies mentioned they do a safety talk. Karin mentioned that e-bike users may not be as experienced which contributes to some of the safety issues. Explore Whitefish was in attendance and has some grant money to spend on any signage needs. Work on a possible safety video for e-bikes. Also, Kevin, City’s GIS coordinator, met with Dan from Explore Whitefish and Karin to talk about the Explore Whitefish map and housing it with the City of Whitefish. Some discussion of striping on Baker Avenue. Everyone is interested in improving safety. There will be a follow up. Maria mentioned identifying some of the concrete paths as bike paths. Other ideas included identifying and adding signage to slow zones. Further discussion… should this committee along with the city and maybe invite Explore Whitefish, to take a look at sections and signage. H. Committee Comments a. Mary asked about if adopt a path existed like adopt a park, and if we could get more interest. You can adopt a park, path, or a bulb out Karin mentioned we could get an article in the paper. Maria will talk to Carla about getting the word out to generate some interest in adopting paths. b. Jim mentioned that there was a section of the bike path closed and met someone that was upset because the path was closed when there was no work taking place. Craig said there are times when a path is closed because there was something dangerous. Craig said they could make sure the signage explains why the path is closed. c. Bailey said that she has been posting on the Connect Whitefish Facebook page about the e-bike meeting and other I. Public Comments: a. Mike Fitzgerald suggested that the city do some pruning along the bike path. J. Next Regular Meeting – Monday, September 11, 2023 K. The meeting was adjourned at 9:18 a.m.  PATH TYPE PROJECT TYPE REQ'D APPROVALS Independent School Route Maintenance Flathead Cty Conserve Dist MT Hwy Dept River PRIORITY Connector Extension Coomuter New Const. Upgrade WF - City WF - Police MT FWP Trail Property Easement Funding Project Other REPAIR System Owner Status Entity Status What's Blocking Progress? Budget Survey scheduled for Spring 2023. Riverbend condo In place, Design work to follow. City attorney Condo owners resistence to access to Riverbend Path H Y Y Y Y Y City of Whitefish owners contested working to resolve challenge by condo easement. owners. $100,000 FY24 Condo owners resistence to access to Malmquist Path H Y Y Casey Malmquist Available Y Y Malmquist Pending outcome of Riverbend Path easement. MDT restrictions on connecting to the Viaduct Improvements M Y Y Y MDT N/A Y City of Whitefish In design phase - WGM bridge deck $206,000 FY23 and FY24 Funding and adjacent to Les Schwab Snowy Mountain Path H Y Y Y City of Whitefish N/A Y Y City of Whitefish Parkland dedicated with plat section Les Schwab Path H Y Y Y Les Schwab None Y Y No progress on easement Les Schwab unwillingnes to engage Owners concerns about proximity of Duck Inn Path H Y Y Y Duck Inn None Y Y Easement agreement stalled path to rooms and river W. Lakeshore - Birch Use of informal trail continues, but BNSF said it had to be located on private M Y Y BNSF None Point stalled with BNSF property Voerman to Haskill Owner of Haskill Creek Farms expressed Nothing in particular. Need direction to M Y Creek Farms interest. Need to set up meeting. engage with Haskill Creek Farm owner. Need church board to agree to path - Lamb Lane/Assembly of Assembly of God & L Y None Progress Stalled outside city limits, and need master plan God City of Whitefish for city shop property Armory Park Path Y City of Whitefish N/A Y Complete Bike/Ped Maintenance Y City of Whitefish N/A Y City of Whitefish in Parks Department CIP Plan $50,000 FY26 Trailview Trailhead Y Y City of Whitefish N/A Y City of Whitefish in Parks Department CIP $400,000 FY28 River's Edge Path Working with RPA on a design for a Y Y Y City of Whitefish N/A Y City of Whitefish Repair/Replacement rebuild of this section of trail in Parks Department CIP, contracted Rivertrail Improvements Y Y Y City of Whitefish N/A Y City of Whitefish with Forestoration on design, received 124 permit for dock installation $170,000 Resort Tax FY 24 2nd Street/Cow Creek Ped-Bridge removal - Y Y City of Whitefish N/A Y City of Whitefish in Parks Deartment CIP Path widening $100,000 FY26 Resort Tax